Post by Jana Eubank - a talented designer at Adornit - Carolee's Creations.

At our house we begin the holiday season by decorating our home together as a family with the Christmas music blaring on the stereo. We dance around and sing to our favorites, laughing and just enjoying each other. Each of my kids has a small tree that they keep in their rooms as a nightlight throughout the month. On Christmas Eve they each get a new pair of pajamas and pick a Christmas pillowcase to sleep on while dreaming of sugarplums.

In addition to neighborhood parties, drives to look at Christmas lights, and making goodies for loved ones, we have a few special traditions that are our favorites.

The first one is a Nativity Night and Talent Show. Grandma Holbrook has made each one of the grandkids their own costumes to wear in the Nativity play. They love dressing up and acting out the Christmas story while the parents watch and narrate. The children treat the story of the birth of our Savior with tenderness and respect. I love feeling the spirit each year during this special time. After the nativity each grandchild performs a talent for our Family Talent Show. We then end the night with a soup dinner and return home with tummies and hearts warm for the season. It doesn't get any better than that!

Another favorite is making cookies for Santa a couple of days before the big night. My kids always insist they be Gingerbread Men. We found a favorite recipe a few years back and now it has become a tradition to spend the day rolling out the dough, baking the cookies and then decorating them. By the time we are done the kitchen and the kids are covered in icing and sprinkles. It's a great time!

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! Here is our favorite Gingerbread Cookie recipe for you and your families to enjoy as well. Happy Holidays!

Gingerbread Cookies by Jana Eubank

¾ c. Sugar

¾ c. Shortening, butter flavor

¾ c. Light Molasses

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ginger

1 tsp. Cinnamon

¾ tsp. Nutmeg

¼ tsp. Allspice

1 egg

5 Tbsp. Water

1 tsp. Baking Soda

4 ¼ to 4 ½ c. Flour

Beat sugar, shortening, molasses, salt giner, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and egg. Mix in 6 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon soda. (The mixture will look grainy, this is normal.) Mix in flour until like soft dough. Roll out on floured cloth to 1/8 inch thick (about like pie crust); cut into shapes and bake at 375 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes. Eat plain or frost. We like cream cheese frosting on ours!

Note: You can re-roll the dough several times. Thinner dough equals crisper cookies, thick dough equals softer cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting by Jana Eubank

1 (3 oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese, softened

1 Tbsp. Butter, softened

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 c. Powdered Sugar